On Strategy
The Thrive Haus gang is very busy these days with the launch of mapEDU. Thus, these blog posts will be less frequent than they were in 2020.
The focus will be a bit different, too.
In 2020 we tried to highlight lots of different companies while exploring the various interesting challenges they faced. 2021 will be all about mapEDU (at least for the foreseeable future.)
Without giving away our “secret sauce,” it should be very instructive to follow our strategic journey from MVP to …???
So expect occasional posts as we reach inflection points.
For example, one of our first challenges is simply picking a framework for strategic analysis. There are numerous, very good models to choose from.
The Blue Ocean approach is discussed in our blog here.
Another excellent model is provided in “Playing To Win: How Strategy Really Works” by A.G. Lafley and Roger Martin.
Additionally, there is lots of new thinking around “category creation.” Anthony Kennada’s book “Category Creation” provides a nice summary of that approach as well.
Frankly, in our opinion, they are all “right” – in the sense that any coherent framework that is diligently followed will produce actionable insights. Some approaches may feel like a better fit for an organization, at a particular time, than others. So, using this very sophisticated measure (how the process “feels,”) we will pick one model – and proceed.
An aside: Short Term vs. Long Term
Those of you who have lived the start-up life may be thinking – why is Joel even blathering on about a fancy strategic planning process when there is real work to be done?
Fine question. We are already struggling with the necessity of focusing on millions (it seems!) of specific things we need to do RIGHT NOW. However, I also know we are about to face some big product development choices soon. These decisions – made with very little data and under time constraints – will open up certain paths forward while simultaneously permanently foreclosing other options.
We can make these decisions using a variety of techniques:
Just make our best collective guess in the moment.
Or maybe we can just do what our early adopters tell us to do (careful – probably a trap!)
Or we can have a bigger picture vision of what we see as the long game – to at least help us pick a path. (Knowing full well the vision is also temporary, and flawed, but at least it is a framework for decision process.)
Thus, the need to be thinking short term (this week’s “to do” list) and long term simultaneously.
Enough “strategery” for now – got a bunch of “real work” I have to tackle TODAY.
Never bored again,
Joel